Austin Tolliver’s early ambitions were to become a star athlete. It looked like the Louisiana native was headed that way when he started playing arena football in college at New Mexico State University and quickly became recognized for his athletic prowess. However, his path changed when he moved to Nashville and fell in love with music.

 

Tolliver’s musical influences are culled from the melting pot of cultures that surrounded him growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana. His diverse influences ranged from Tupac, Nelly, Ludacris, 50cent and Eminem to George Strait, Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Colt Ford and Shenandoah. “From country to rap to rock, my music is a crossover of different genres. I infuse the music I grew up on into my style,” commented Tolliver.

 

In college, Tolliver admittedly wasn’t the best student. As long as he excelled at sports, the educational requirements took a back seat.  “I was a football and baseball player at New Mexico State University and Texas Tech University. My job as a student athlete was to win games, to sell tickets, break records, and win damn championships. I did just that.”

 

Talent, perseverance and a winning attitude lead Tolliver to the attention of Average Joes Entertainment. The Nashville-based record label signed Tolliver and released his debut single, “Tip My Hat,” in late 2020. Since then, Tolliver released his debut album Ride 4 Me, which features 12 tracks including hit singles such as “Ride 4 Me,” “Yodelay You Down,” and “Little Bit Of Me,” has collectively earned over 28 million streams across all major platforms. Tolliver’s powerful vocals and emotive lyrics are on full display throughout the album, which draws on his personal experiences to explore the complexities of love, relationships, and life in the modern world.

 

Tolliver describes himself as “a country dude who is respectful, raised on yes ma’am and no sir, and to walk God’s path” but isn’t scared to go head-to-head with anyone. “I may have grown up in the country club, but don’t let it fool you – I got a little ratchet in me!” Tolliver’s father, who was an NFL player and called himself “the rednecks’ quarterback,” taught his son to strive to be the best whether on stage or in the stadium as “people paid their hard-earned money to come and be entertained.”  

 

Austin continues to make waves in the music industry with his latest single, “Bad 4 U,” a love-filled track that showcases his smooth vocals and songwriting skills. The song’s catchy hooks and infectious beats have made it a hit with fans, earning over 170k streams across all platforms since its recent release in November of 2022. 

 

Tolliver’s upcoming single, “If You Were My Girl,” set to be released February 17th, is another departure from his usual country-rap sound with a catchy pop-country vibe that highlights his versatility as an artist. With a full-length project planned for release later this year, fans of Tolliver can look forward to even more great music from this rising star.

 

Tolliver is working hard to hone his songwriting and performance skills, and looks forward to getting back out on the road to share new music with his fans this summer.